Everything's Falling Apart
by Krys33
Summary: Yes, yes, another post season five finale fic. Just what we need, right? LL, RL undertones. COMPLETE!
1. Everything's Falling Apart

A/N: Yes, this is yet another post-season-five-finale fic. But I wanted to write this, so I think you can stand to read one more. Yes, it's short.

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

* * *

During his rant she realized the seriousness of the situation. Her daughter, her perfect, angel daughter, was dropping out of Yale. She took everything she had, everything she'd worked so hard for, and threw it away. Just tossed it out the window without a second thought.

And her parents. The newly rekindled relationship with her parents was tossed out that window as well. She tried so desperately to make them understand, to once side with her. And for a moment, a short moment, she thought they were with her on this. They agreed, told her that come Friday, they would knock some sense into Rory. But that wasn't the case. Rory was the daughter they'd never had. The perfect girl with the perfect boyfriend attending the perfect college. They didn't want to lose her. They knew that if they went against her on this, there was a good chance she'd never speak to them again. And they certainly didn't want that.

So they went back on their word. They stabbed Lorelai in the back and sided with Rory. In the back of their minds, they knew this was wrong. Rory had to go to Yale. But they knew what it was like to lose a daughter, and they didn't want to lose their granddaughter. So they did what was needed to keep her close.

Lorelai considered all this, while Luke was rambling about kidnapping her daughter and forcing her to take classes. No matter the intentions, this plan was probably illegal. But that was beside the point. As Luke was talking, Lorelai had a realization. Luke was still there. And he always had been. Even when she couldn't control anything, when everything was falling apart, he was there.

And she couldn't bear to lose the only thing she had left. So she did what she needed to do to keep him, with her, forever.

"Luke will you marry me?"

As the words were leaving her mouth, she knew it was the wrong place and the wrong time for this. She had told Max that a proposal was supposed to be magical and planned. So now, as an added bonus, she was a hypocrite. This wasn't magical, and it certainly wasn't planned.

Luke was stunned. "What?"

"This isn't right. I can't do this, not now." Lorelai began to panic, thoroughly humiliated. "I'm just going to go home and sleep. Maybe things'll be better in the morning." She grabbed her coat and purse and moved to leave.

"Wait, Lorelai." He called after her. She didn't stop. He chased her out the door and grabbed her arm. "Lorelai."

She turned to face him, crying silently. He just wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She looked up into his eyes. "Everything's falling apart."

"Everything will be fine. You'll see." He comforted, slowly leading her back towards the door and into the diner. She sat in a chair and he poured her a cup of coffee, which she drank silently. They both seemed to know that words just couldn't help right now.

But someone had to be the first to speak. "It's getting late, Lorelai." Luke mentioned, not sure what to do.

"Yeah. I should probably…" she began to cry again. Luke pulled up a chair next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's just… Home reminds me of her, Luke."

"Stay here."

The pair stood and walked up the stairs, leaving Lorelai's jacket and purse behind in the empty diner.

* * *

Well, I might continue. Who knows? This seems a pretty good stopping place, but I could go on. Thoughts please! 


	2. You what?

A/N: Well, it's a weekend, my friends. And apparently I have a lot of writing time on my hands, cuz here's chapter 2! (it's about as long as the last one, my fine feathered friends.)

She awoke the next morning, slightly disoriented. It took her awhile to comprehend where she was. Seeing the familiar apartment around her, she sat up and leaned against the bed's headboard. She suddenly realized that this was the first time in the history of their relationship where she had woken up before him. She laughed at this. Things must be really bad for her to wake up at four in the morning. The time finally registered with her. _'Four in the morning? My God, I need coffee.' _

She made sure she was fully dressed before treading softly down the stairs. Seeing her coat and purse resting on the table by the door reminded her of the previous night's events. She quickly looked away and started the coffeemaker.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the apartment, Luke was awake too. As a matter of fact, he was sitting in the same position Lorelai had been in just five minutes earlier. But his thoughts were on something entirely different. He was having an inner debate on whether he wanted the house back. She had asked him to marry her, so that means she's serious, right? But she'd taken in back, said it was wrong. He had no idea what to do or what she wanted. He sighed and walked downstairs to join her in the diner.

Lorelai was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Luke come down the stairs. She turned around and jumped slightly in surprise.

"The coffee's ready." Luke told her, pouring her a cup.

She hadn't noticed that either. "Thanks."

After a moment of silence, Luke spoke suddenly. "I bought a house." Oops. It wasn't supposed to come out like that. He was supposed to ease into the subject, bring it up smoothly and explain everything.

Lorelai's eyes widened in shock and she choked on her coffee. "You _what!_"

"I bought a house. The Twickham house."

"When?"

"Never mind. I already told Taylor I didn't want it."

Lorelai couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. "Why would you do that?"

"You were still mulling."

"Still mulling?" she repeated, confused.

"Yes! You were considering taking that job."

"I was never going to take it, Luke. Never. I just got so caught up in being wanted, being wooed. I thought they'd have to be crazy to want _me._"

"They'd be crazy _not_ to want you." He said quietly, kissing her softly.

As they pulled apart, Lorelai spoke. "I have a house, you know."

"I know." He replied, wondering where this was headed.

"Well, you could've just moved in with me. I could make room."

"Really?" he chuckled.

"Hey! I could." She playfully batted him on the arm. "But why'd you buy a house? You knew you could move into mine."

"Exactly."

"Exactly what?"

"Your house is yours, my apartment is mine. I wanted something that could be _ours_. Not mine or yours, but a home for both of us."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I think that's a perfect idea." She kissed him. And for a fleeting moment, all her troubles were gone.

Still want more? Review please!


	3. Our Kids

A/N: Hey all! This chapter is longer. Aren't you proud of me?

* * *

Hours later, she left the diner and headed to the inn. She wanted so badly to speak to her daughter, but she knew that Rory needed time. Maybe, just maybe, she would sort this out herself. The last time Lorelai had rushed someone into making a decision, it hadn't turned out so well.

Not wanting to discuss her troubles, she skillfully avoided all of Sookie's calls to the inn. As she was still on maternity leave, Sookie was still worried about the kitchen. And she was wary of Manny's abilities. On most days, Lorelai would've loved to talk to her best friend. But today, she didn't feel much like talking.

Which left a lot of time for thinking.

* * *

Luke spotted Taylor through the stupid connecting window and called over his shoulder, "Caesar, I'm going out. Cover for me." He heard Caesar's faint reply as he rushed next door to the Soda Shoppe.

The door shut noisily behind him as he walked up to Taylor.

"I want the house back. I need the house back."

"It's still yours."

"It is? But I thought I told you…"

"Well, first, your termination of the agreement would have to have been submitted in writing. An oral termination is useless. Second, you had three days. And those three days aren't up yet, so you're good."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, okay." And with that, he returned to the diner, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.

* * *

She sat in her office, sorting through paperwork, thinking about the past days' events. She was trying to think of a way to handle 'the Rory situation', as she'd begun to call it.

But her mind wandered a little further back. A look of realization passed over her face and she grabbed her cell phone. She stood and paced the small room in anticipation as she dialed a familiar number.

"Luke's,"

"You were talking about our kids." She said, still pacing.

"What?"

"Our kids, Luke. _Our kids._"

"I'm hearing the words, Lorelai. I need a full sentence." He replied, utterly confused.

"When you said 'What about the kids?' you were talking about our kids."

Luke paused and sighed. He'd thought (hoped) she'd forgotten about his Freudian slip. "Yes."

"You want kids?" Lorelai sounded extremely surprised.

"Of course I want kids! Why wouldn't I want kids?"

Lorelai was shocked. "Because they're noisy and sticky and you hate jam hands!"

"They're a lot of work, yes, but with… the right person… I think I wouldn't mind kids."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Wow."

"What?"

"Well, when I thought I was pregnant, Rory and I thought you never seemed much like a 'family guy'." When she realized what she'd said, her hand flew to her mouth.

"When you thought you were _what_?"

Lorelai sighed as Luke exclaimed, "When did you think you were pregnant?"

"When Sookie had her baby…The day after the magazine party."

"Oh." He said, realizing.

"Yeah."

"So you're sure?"

"Sure?"

"That you're not…"

"Oh. Yes, I'm sure."

"Well…okay then." She thought he almost sounded…disappointed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"No, it's…it's fine."

"Well, I have to get back to work…"

"Oh, yeah. I'll see you this afternoon?"

"Yeah. Bye."

"Bye."

Lorelai shut her phone and tossed it onto her desk. She collapsed into her chair and sighed. This was going to be a long day. She went back to thinking.

* * *

Review, review, review! 


	4. You Do Have It

A/N: I have nothing to say except thanks for all of the reviews! You guys rock my socks!

Disclaimer: You know the drill. They're not mine… blah blah blah.

* * *

Hours later, paperwork complete and thoughts still in process, she left the inn and headed to Luke's.

She entered the diner and sat at the counter. Luke poured her a cup of coffee.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Why are you asking?"

"You look… preoccupied."

Lorelai sighed. "I want to talk to Rory."

"Then go."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to rush her. I don't want to make her talk. Look what happened when I did that to you."

"I still think you should go. I think talking to her best friend would do Rory some good."

She considered this for a minute. "You really think I should go?"

"I really think you should go."

"Well, I guess I'm going then." She drained her coffee, kissed Luke over the counter, and headed for the door.

"Hey Lorelai." He called.

She turned. "Yeah?"

"I'm coming with you."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Caesar, I'm going out." He called over his shoulder. Without waiting for a reply, they walked out the door and climbed into Luke's truck.

* * *

Rory, like her mother, had spent the day doing some serious thinking of her own. She had spent the day in bed, not really having the energy to do much besides think. And, again like her mother, she'd come up with nothing.

* * *

The half hour drive to Hartford was silent. Neither knew what to say to the other or what they were going to say to Rory. They were just going to have to see what happened.

Luke pulled into the drive and they immediately walked to the pool house. Lorelai knocked on the glass door.

A minute later it opened, revealing to them a shocked Rory in an I-just-got-out-of-bed outfit, complete with no makeup, pajamas, slippers, and tousled hair.

"Mom, Luke… Hey." She said, trying to smile and act as if this was normal.

"Hey." Lorelai replied. "Can we come in?"

"Oh, sorry. Sure, come on in." She opened the door wider and they walked into the much smaller version of the Gilmore mansion.

"Have a seat." Rory gestured to the clearly expensive couch. Luke and Lorelai sat uncomfortably.

Lorelai took a deep breath. "Rory, let's just skip the small talk. I'm not going to beat around the bush here. You need to go back to Yale."

"I can't, mom, I can't. I'm not going to be a journalist. I can't be there, in a college full of focused, goal-oriented people, while I wander aimlessly trying to figure out what to do with my life."

"Then go to another college and figure out what you want to do with your life. Or, better yet, forget what that bastard Mitchum Huntzburger said and be a journalist anyway. I didn't think I raised a daughter who would just give up when one person said she couldn't do it. The Rory I know would go out and prove him wrong."

"Mom, didn't we go over this? Mitchum Huntzburger is an extremely important man in the newspaper business. If he says I don't have it, I don't have it."

Luke finally spoke up. "You do have it, Rory. I've seen your writing. If you really put your mind to it, you'd be an amazing journalist. I've watched you work towards this for so long, and I'm not letting you give up now."

Rory was somewhat shocked by this display of fatherly concern.

"Rory, have you told Logan about this?" Lorelai interjected.

Rory looked at her feet. "No."

"You should, you know. Because if you won't listen to us, maybe you'll listen to him." She told her daughter. As an afterthought, she added, "Talk to Paris, too."

Rory sighed. "I will."

Lorelai stood, and Luke followed her lead. She walked over to her daughter and hugged her. "Whatever you do, make sure you're happy." Lorelai whispered in her ear.

"I will." Rory whispered back.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

They parted. Luke stepped up and hugged Rory also. She was slightly taken aback.

"I love you too, you know." He told her.

"I know. Thanks. And I love you."

He patted her on the back before pulling away. Rory waved goodbye and Luke and Lorelai left the pool house, feeling just a little better than before.

* * *

I think this chapter had a little of one of the only things of which Gilmore Girls is severely lacking: Luke/Rory father/daughter action!

Review!


	5. Dress Fancy

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, you guys are awesome!

angel6 aka trinigyal: She told Logan what Mitchum said, but not that she was dropping out. That's what I think she should tell Logan. He wouldn't want her to. (Or so I think…)

And to my anonymous reviewer, so: I love your enthusiastic reviews! You're awesome too!

Disclaimer: I'm not going over this again.

* * *

After her mother left, Rory picked up her cell phone. She held down 2 and listened while her phone dialed the familiar number. She paced the room while listening to the rings. She counted them out loud. "One… two… three… four…" After seven rings, the answering machine kicked in.

"Hey, it's Logan. Leave a message. If this is Finn, your voicemail's full again, man! We're meeting up at Colin's, so be there at nine. Don't be late. And erase those stupid messages!"

Rory laughed slightly, then at the beep she said, "Hey, Logan. It's me. I need to talk to you, so just call me back."

She sighed and sank back into bed. What was she going to tell him?

* * *

The ride back to the Hollow was silent, but filled with happier thoughts than the previous drive. Lorelai was confident that both Logan and Paris could give Rory a better perspective on her situation. She was sure that neither of them would want her quitting college. And she was right.

* * *

Rory's cell phone rang a half-hour later. She picked it up from the bedside table and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ace."

"Hey, Logan."

"So, you need to talk to me?"

"Yeah…"

"Talk."

"I'm not going back to Yale next year."

"What? Ace, come on. You have to." A wave of realization hit him. "It's about what my dad said, isn't it?"

She couldn't find it in her to lie to him, so she kept quiet.

"It is. I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!"

"Logan, please. It's not his fault. He was just telling me what I needed to know."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think he _needed _to crush your dreams like that."

"He wasn't. He didn't think I had it, so he told me before I got too far in. He was doing me a favor."

"No, he wasn't, Rory. He wasn't. Telling someone they're incapable isn't a favor." Logan grabbed his jacket. "I'm gonna go talk to him. I'll call you later." And he hung up.

"Logan-" but she was cut off by the dial tone.

* * *

Luke pulled into the Gilmore drive. He put the truck in park and turned to Lorelai. "You're free on Saturday, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I was thinking we'd go out. To dinner. On Saturday."

"That sounds nice."

"So I'll pick you up at seven."

"Seven's good." She stepped out of the truck and shut the door. He quickly rolled down his window and called out to her.

"Lorelai?"

"Yeah?"

"Dress fancy, okay?"

"Does this mean _you'll _be all 'GQ'd up'?"

He just smiled. "Goodbye, Lorelai."

She waved as he pulled away. He had a special evening planned. A _very_ special evening.

* * *

Sorry for the shortness, but I wanted to end it here. I think I'll have more on the Rory/Logan situation next chapter. I'm not really a Rory/Logan fan, I much prefer Marty. But where did Marty go, anyway? I wonder…

Remember to review on your way out. Thank you and have a nice day!


	6. Job Well Done

A/N: Another update so soon! You guys are spoiled!

Thanks again for the reviews, y'all keep me going!

* * *

Logan drove as quickly as he possibly could to his house. He stormed straight to his father's study, slamming the door loudly behind him. When he entered, his dad was on the phone.

"…all you have… I know it's not great."

"Dad." Logan said as calmly as he could.

Mitchum covered the mouthpiece of the phone with his hand. "Just a minute, Logan." Then back into the receiver, "But it's all you have, John. Just print it."

"Dad." Logan said louder.

Mitchum covered the phone again. "Logan, please." He removed his hand. "You can't have a hole in the middle of your paper."

Logan stepped up to the desk and swiftly removed the phone from his father's hand. "I'm very sorry, John, but Mitchum here is gonna have to call you back." And he hung up the phone.

"Logan, what the hell-"

"Why'd you do that to her, dad?"

"Do what to who, Logan? I'm smart, but I'm not a mind reader."

"You told Rory she wasn't good enough."

"I told her the truth, Logan. She needs to learn to put herself out there if she's going to be a journalist."

"Well, your so-called constructive criticism is making her drop out of Yale."

"What? A simple comment shouldn't be enough to push her out of college."

"You told her she didn't have it. She didn't know what to do. She's wanted to be a journalist all her life and in one fell swoop those dreams were _gone_."

"Logan-"

"I hope you're happy. Cause if your intention was to hurt my girlfriend, job well done." And with that, he turned on his heel and left the Huntzburger home.

* * *

Rory waited up for hours after her call to Logan. She fell asleep sitting on the couch. The phone rang late that night, but Rory didn't wake. Logan didn't leave a message.

Minutes later, Logan was at her door. He knocked lightly, and when no one came to the door, he retrieved the spare key from under the doormat. Quietly, he entered the room. He saw Rory sleeping peacefully on the couch. Smiling, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Without dropping her, might I add. She was heavier than he'd thought.

When he set her down, she woke up. Seeing Logan, she sat up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer the phone." He said, taking off his jacket. "So I came over."

She laid back, and he laid down next to her. "What did say to your dad?"

"Shh. Just go back to sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning."

* * *

The next morning, Lorelai went to the inn, but her mind wasn't on work. She was busy wondering what Luke was planning for Saturday. A whole week was an awfully long time to wait. Especially for her.

* * *

Rory awoke the next morning alone. She turned to where Logan had been the night before to find a note.Ace- 

_I know I said we'd talk, but I had to finish packing. We're not all as organized as you. I figured this was the next best thing. _

_I know you want to know what I told Mitchum. I just told him I was mad and that you were dropping out of Yale. There was a lot of yelling involved, and I'm not sure I'll be seeing him any time soon. But it was worth it. He shouldn't have said those things._

_I'll see you soon._

_-L_

Rory smiled. Maybe things would turn out alright after all. At least she still had Logan.

* * *

Arg, short again, I know. And I promise, more L/L next chapter. I just had to get this out of the way. The good stuff is coming up!

Review!


	7. Ring Shopping

A/N: I am a writing machine! This story just keeps coming out almost faster than I can type it!

My school gets out the 21st, so I'll have a lot more writing time on my hands… hopefully.

Once again, to my awesome anonymous reviewer, so: (in response to your review to chapter 5) Glad I can help: )

To my other anonymous reviewer, Anonymous: You were right on track in your review to chapter 5… Nice job!

* * *

On Sunday, the diner was too busy for Luke to leave, so he told Caesar he'd take the next couple of days off. He got in his truck Monday morning to go – you guessed it folks (actually, you didn't…) – ring shopping.

Now, normally, Luke Danes wouldn't be caught dead shopping for anything besides food and possibly clothes. But this was for Lorelai, and as we all know, when it comes to her – all bets are off. There's nothing he wouldn't do.

He spent two days scouring the surrounding towns, including Hartford the cesspool, and found nothing. He didn't see anything good enough for her, or perhaps he just had no idea what to get. He figured it was some of both, but mostly the latter.

By Wednesday, he'd given up. He decided on a different plan of action.

* * *

Wednesday night, the phone rang. Lorelai dug it out from the massive pile of clothing on the couch. "Hello?"

"Is Rory there?" the caller sounded frantic.

"Who is this?" Lorelai replied, confused.

"It's Paris."

"Oh, hey Paris. Rory's not here. She's staying at the grandparents. You have her cell number, right?"

"Yeah, thanks." And she hung up.

Lorelai hung up as well and set the phone on the coffee table, completely mystified. What was up with Paris?

* * *

Luke went upstairs to his apartment. He opened the safe and retrieved a key from the very back. He took the key to his desk and used it to open the bottom right-hand drawer.

Luke pulled out a shoebox and set it on his kitchen table. He sat down in a chair and sighed. The last time he'd even looked at this box was… he couldn't even remember. That's how long it had been. He gingerly removed the lid and coughed through the cloud of dust this action created. He dug through the loose photos and random memorabilia until he saw what he was looking for. Luke pulled out the small box and replaced the shoebox lid. He put the box back in the drawer, locked it, and returned the key to the safe. He picked up the box on the table and popped it open.

It was just as beautiful as he remembered.

* * *

Rory was sitting on the couch reading a book when her cell phone rang. She flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Rory?"

"Yes." She replied.

"It's Paris."

"Oh, hey Paris."

"I have a problem."

"Shoot."

"I saw Jamie this weekend."

"_What_?"

"I went by myself to New York for the weekend."

"_Never_ go to New York alone, Paris! Have you heard what happens there?"

"Rory, I'm trying to tell you what happened!"

"Sorry."

"Okay, so I checked into my hotel and I went up to my room. I was about to go in when I look over, and there's Jamie. Just… standing there. And I walk towards him, and he walks towards me and I say 'Hi' and he says 'Hi'. Then I say 'How's Princeton?' he says 'Good. How's Yale?' I say 'Good' and the next thing I know we're kissing. And then we were in my room and - Rory I slept with Jamie!"

"Wow. Okay… Just like that?"

"Just like that. So… what do you think?"

"Well… are you still with Doyle?"

"Yes."

"Did you make arrangements to see Jamie again?"

"No. After, he just… left. Just turned around and left. I don't think I'll ever see him again."

"Then why are you talking to me about this?"

"I had to tell someone. I kept it to myself, but then I couldn't concentrate on anything. I was worried that I handled it wrong."

"You handled it fine, Paris. But what about Doyle?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to tell him?"

"No."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Well… while we're discussing big, important things, I have something to tell you."

"Go ahead."

"I'm… dropping out of Yale."

"_What?_"

* * *

Cliffhanger! Yay! Well… How'd you like it? Good? Not good? Tell please!

And sorry about the somewhat awkward Paris moment… I needed a reason for Paris to call Rory and boy troubles just seemed to be it!


	8. What're Friends For?

A/N: Wow! So many reviews! Thanks guys! This story is just flying off my fingertips.

Charmedchic72: Thanks so much for reviewing so many of my stories!

To my anonymous reviewer, Brandy: Yes, we have to have all the Rory. Sorry, but I'm not sending her to Italy. I made the ring his second choice because him using it is so overdone. I still wanted him to use it, but make my story different from all the others out there.

Winnifred Smith: Thanks for the love! I love you too!

* * *

_**Previously on 'Everything's Falling Apart':**_

"**Well… while we're discussing big, important things, I have something to tell you."**

"**Go ahead."**

"**I'm… dropping out of Yale."**

"_**What?"

* * *

**_

"I said I'm-"

"Rory Gilmore, what the _hell_ are you thinking? Why would you drop out of Yale?"

"I'm… not going to be a journalist."

"_What?_ Gilmore, I've known you for five years, and the one thing you've wanted most was to be a journalist."

"Well, I changed my mind."

"Why?"

"I'm not allowed to change my mind?"

"Normally, one doesn't change one's mind at the drop of a hat after five-plus years."

"Well… you know I had that internship in Stanford."

"Yes."

"Well… Mitchum Huntzberger talked to me."

"And…?"

"He said I didn't have it."

"Have what?"

"The 'drive to put myself out there'."

"Who the hell does he think he is? Rory, you're the best damn writer on the newspaper. We would be absolutely _nothing_ without you."

"This is _Mitchum Huntzberger_, Paris! The most important man in newspaper. I think he knows what he's talking about."

"Rory Gilmore, you came to my house after I sat in bed, crying for weeks after being rejected by Harvard. You made me get off my ass and go somewhere else; do something with my life. Now, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. I'd probably still be sitting in bed, addicted to than stupid soap opera. You taught me that when dreams go wrong, maybe it's for the better. I didn't go to Harvard, but I'm happy now. Come back to Yale and do something with _your_ life. Don't just waste it away."

"I'll… I'll think about it."

"Don't expect me to give up."

"I won't."

"Good. Sleep on it. Take all summer if you need to. But I expect to see you back at Yale in the fall."

Rory paused, then smiled. "I'll be there."

"What're friends for?"

* * *

The next morning, Rory flipped open her cell phone. She pressed 1 and listened as her phone dialed the number she memorized ten years ago. Her breathless mother answered.

"Hello?" Lorelai panted into the phone.

"What happened to you?"

"Rory?"

"Of course."

"Well, I was upstairs, and, see, the phone is downstairs. So I ran down the stairs, managed to trip on the last step and fall on my face before making it here."

"Wow."

"Yes, it's quite a story, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is. Anyhow, I have news for you."

"Yeah?"

"Well… I think I'm going back to Yale next year after all."

Lorelai grinned. "Really?"

Rory nodded before realizing she was on the phone. "Really."

Lorelai paused. "Does this mean you're coming home?"

"I think it does."

"You know you'll have to tell grandma about this, right?"

"I can't just leave a note?"

"Nope. See, that's what I did when _I _left. You want to avoid making them think about that at all costs."

"Got it." Rory sighed. "I guess I'll go tell her."

"Have fun!"

"Mom!"

"What? I can't enjoy this just the tiniest bit?"

"I'm going now."

"Bye! Ooh, and see if you can snap a picture! I want this moment documented!"

"Bye, mom."

* * *

Rory entered the dining room of the elder Gilmore home to see her grandparents eating their breakfast. The only sound in the room was the rustling of Richard's newspaper. Emily looked up. "Rory!"

"Hi, grandma." Rory replied with as real a smile as she could muster.

"Sit down. Do you want me to get Chelsea to whip something up for you?"

"No, thank you. And Chelsea? I thought it was Davida."

"No. I fired her days ago. Very frightened woman, Davida. Couldn't even answer a simple question without shaking like a leaf."

Rory stifled her laughter.

"So why are you here, Rory? It's apparently not for breakfast."

"Well, I have some news for you."

"Yes?"

"I'm going back to Yale after all."

Emily smiled. "That's wonderful, Rory."

"I'm glad you think so." Rory took a deep breath, dreading what she had to say next.

"Is there anything else?"

"Well, yes. I'm moving back in with mom."

Her smile quickly faded. "Very well."

After a minute of silence, Rory spoke. "I'll… let you get back to your breakfast, then." And she quickly rushed out of the room.

* * *

Well, I realized after some research on the WB site that I had been butchering the name Huntzberger all along. So, it's fixed in this chapter and it will be in all the ones to come!

Smile and review! Saturday is coming up in the next chapter! Stay tuned!


	9. Marry Me

Disclaimer: I wish I got paid for writing this!

scubaluver/Brandy: I agree with you about the maid thing, although I would also fire that other maid… what was her name, Sarah? The one who couldn't tell the timer from the doorbell.

* * *

_(Saturday, aka the day you've all been waiting for)_

Lorelai stood in front of the full-length mirror debating on whether the blue dress was 'fancy'. Damn Luke and his monosyllabic nature! Couldn't he have been more specific? She was extremely glad Rory was back. "Rory!" Lorelai yelled.

"Yes, mother?" Rory replied, appearing in the doorway.

"Is this fancy?"

"I don't know… I'd wear the black."

"Black, okay, good." Lorelai rushed back to the closet. As she changed, she called out to Rory, "What time is it?"

"6:47."

"Crap!" She finished pulling the dress on. "What shoes?"

"The black sandals."

"Short or tall heel?"

"Short. In case there's dancing."

"You're right! Smart girl. Did you learn all this at Yale?"

"Of course. There's a 'Correct Fashion' course."

Lorelai slipped on the shoes and rushed to put on her makeup. As she was dabbing on blush, she called, "Time?"

"6:55."

She quickly finished with her makeup. "Where's my silver bracelet?"

"Umm… top drawer."

Lorelai yanked open the top drawer and pulled out the bracelet. "Thanks, you're a life saver."

She dashed down the stairs just as the heard a knock at the door. "Coming!" She opened the door, cheeks flushed. "Hey."

Luke stepped in, fully clad in a very nice suit. "Hi."

"You look… nice."

"So do you." She noticed he seemed a little out of it. Nervous, maybe.

"So shouldn't we…" she said, gesturing to the door.

"Oh, yeah. Let's go."

And they walked out the door.

* * *

The date ran smoothly. There actually _was_ dancing, and Lorelai was thankful for her daughter's fashion advice. She had an amazing time, but noticed that Luke seemed a bit squirrelly, like he was waiting for something.

And he was.

He was waiting for just the right moment, but it never seemed to come. No moment seemed perfect enough. So as the night began to come to a close, he was scared he wouldn't get the chance.

They climbed into his truck later that evening, and without any discussion he drove her to the diner. After they came in the door, she kissed him, and he knew where the night was headed. He led her upstairs.

* * *

The next morning, Luke woke up at 4:45, just like he did every morning. He recalled the previous night and mentally cursed himself. He'd never gotten around to it. He felt like he'd wimped out. Trying not to wake Lorelai, he climbed carefully out of the bed. He pulled on his clothes, and as he was about to walk out of the door, he had an idea.

* * *

Lorelai woke up at her usual time, 7:00. She reached over to Luke's side of the bed and felt air. She opened her eyes and looked over, just to make sure he'd already gone downstairs. Sitting on his pillow was a small piece of paper and a little velvet box. She reached over and picked up the paper. There, in his familiar handwriting, were two words:

_Marry me._

She grabbed the box and flipped open the lid. She pulled out the ring and slid it on her left ring finger. It looked like it belonged.

And for the second time in less than a year she went into the diner clad only in Luke's flannel shirt. But this time, she wasn't paying attention to the people. She ran into the kitchen, spotted Luke, and yelled, "Yes!"

* * *

Well, kind of a cliffhanger, but a much happier one!

I _could _end it here, but I'm assuming you guys won't want that…

Review!


	10. Not A One Knee Kinda Guy

A/N: Thanks once again for all the awesome reviews!

Ten chapters… Who knew I had it in me?

Scubaluvr/Brandy: Well, I thought it would be funny for her to repeat the past…

A/N 2: Constructive criticism is always appreciated, but if you're going to say it's bad, give me some advice so I can improve please!

* * *

_Previously on 'Everything's Falling Apart':_

_Lorelai woke up at her usual time, 7:00. She reached over to Luke's side of the bed and felt air. She opened her eyes and looked over, just to make sure he'd already gone downstairs. Sitting on his pillow was a small piece of paper and a little velvet box. She reached over and picked up the paper. There, in his familiar handwriting, were two words:_

Marry me.

_She grabbed the box and flipped open the lid. She pulled out the ring and slid it on her left ring finger. It looked like it belonged. _

_And for the second time in less than a year she went into the diner clad only in Luke's flannel shirt. But this time, she wasn't paying attention to the people. She ran into the kitchen, spotted Luke, and yelled, "Yes!"

* * *

He whipped around at the sound of her voice._

"Yes." She repeated, holding up her left hand.

He paused for a second, in shock. Then suddenly he stepped forward and kissed her.

They stayed that way, wrapped up in each other, until Caesar's voice drove them apart.

"Hey, Luke? Sorry to break up the love-fest, but you've got lots of hungry customers here."

"Sorry, Caesar." Luke said, reddening.

"No problem." He replied before getting back to work.

"I'd better…" Luke said, gesturing to the diner.

"And I'd better…" She replied, gesturing to her clothes, or lack thereof.

"So… I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Later." And grinning she ran back upstairs to change, shyly avoiding making eye contact with anyone seated in the diner.

* * *

As soon as Lorelai was upstairs she quickly pulled on her clothes. She checked to see that everything was on the right way, nothing inside-out or whatnot, before lightly walking down the stairs. She took a deep breath before venturing through the curtain.

All eyes were on her and the diner was silent, save the occasional whisper, which could only mean one thing: they all knew.

She smiled and gave a little wave, with her left hand of course, and the whispers became more energetic. She laughed slightly as she walked out the door.

* * *

She burst in through the front door. "Rory? You'd better be here! I have news!"

Rory came in from the kitchen. "Yeah?"

"Well…" Lorelai said before holding up her left hand.

"Oh my God!" Rory screamed in excitement.

"I know!" Lorelai exclaimed, eagerly hugging her daughter.

"You and Luke… Wow. It is Luke, right?"

"Yes, Rory, it's Luke."

"So how'd he do it?"

"Do what?"

"Propose. He didn't get down on one knee, did he? Cause he doesn't seem like the one-knee kinda guy."

"No, he doesn't. He's more of a leave-a-note-on-the-pillow kinda guy."

"That's sweet!"

"Well, the accepting bit took and embarrassing turn."

"What did you do?" Rory asked, knowing there were no limits to her mother's slight insanity.

"I pulled the no-pants-in-the-diner bit."

"Again?"

"Again."

They both laughed.

* * *

Well… some of you want more Rory/Logan, so I'll see what I can do about that next chapter.

Sorry it's so short, but I wanted it up ASAP, as did you guys. So, here it is, and my school's almost out, so look forward to faster updates soon!

Review!


	11. To Tell Or Not To Tell

A/N: I love you all! Thanks so much for the reviews and support!

* * *

She spent the night at Luke's again, but she didn't get much sleep. After talking with Rory, one thing was looming in the back of her mind

Her parents.

She knew she had to tell them. With Rory going back to Yale, Friday night dinners were back on. And Rory, as much as Lorelai loved her, wasn't the best secret-keeper. Something would be said, and they would be infuriated. She couldn't make the same mistake she did when she was engaged to Max… Well, she couldn't make _any _of the mistakes she made when she was engaged to Max. Mainly, calling off the wedding and not telling her parents.

But she didn't want to tell them. Inevitably, her mother would pull a Lorelai the First and tell her not to get married, that Luke isn't good enough, but Christopher is a fine choice.

And honestly? She didn't want to hear that.

So she lay on her side, facing the wall, while Luke slept soundly next to her. The inner battle of 'Tell them' and 'Don't tell them' was waging on in her mind. She didn't dare glance at the clock, for it would tell her that she had been awake far too long.

Still undecided, she finally fell into a light, restless sleep out of exhaustion. She was sure the 'Tell' 'Don't tell' war was in her dreams.

* * *

As Luke stirred next to her at 4:45, she woke up. Which was odd, because this never happened anymore. It used to, when she had just started sleeping over. But it had stopped happening some time ago. Yet here she was, sitting up at what she had previously called an 'ungodly hour'.

Luke seemed surprised to see her awake, too. "You're up." He stated.

"I guess." She replied with a forced smile.

He spotted the darkness under her eyes. "Something wrong?" he asked with genuine concern.

She looked down into her lap nervously, and then raised her head to meet his eyes. "No."

He paused and tilted his head to the side. "You're lying."

Her eyes refocused on her lap and she sighed. "I know. I just… I just don't want to tell them."

Luke raised his eyebrows, confused. "Tell who what?"

"Tell my parents… about us. And this." She answered, raising her left hand.

"You have to."

"I know. But I don't want to." She said with childish stubbornness.

"I'll go with you." He offered.

She was relieved. "Thanks. Tonight?"

"So soon?"

"I have to go before I can convince myself not to."

"Okay. Tonight it is." And he walked off to get dressed.

Lorelai smiled to herself. How was it that someone could be there whenever you needed them? She hadn't thought that it was possible, but apparently it was.

Because for her, that person was Luke.

* * *

That night, Lorelai struggled to find an outfit that her mother would approve of. This was mostly because when her mother complimented something of Lorelai's, she tended to throw it out as soon as she could.

Normally, she would've loved to aggravate her mother. But their relationship was rocky at the moment, and she wanted her mother to be as happy as possible when she gave her the news.

If she could get up the courage to give her the news.

* * *

Luke pulled into the elder Gilmore's drive later that evening. The couple stepped up to the large front door. Lorelai trembled, extremely nervous. Luke put a supporting arm around her waist and rang the doorbell.

A maid pulled the door open. "Can I help you?"

Lorelai spoke up. "I'm here to speak with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore?"

"Come in." She let them into the foyer. "They are in the living room."

"Thank you."

Lorelai took a deep breath and Luke led her into the large living room. Richard and Emily were seated on two chairs, Emily writing some sort of letter and Richard reading the paper. Emily was surprised. "Lorelai! Were we expecting you?"

"No, mom, but I dropped by because I have some news for you."

"Well, sit and have a drink first."

Luke and Lorelai lowered themselves onto the fancy couch.

"Lorelai, your usual?"

"Yes, mom."

"And would you like a _beer_, Luke?" Emily asked with hidden disgust.

"Actually, I'll have whatever Lorelai's having."

"Martinis for everyone, then." And she walked over to the bar.

"Nice save." Lorelai whispered in Luke's ear.

Emily returned and handed out the drinks. "Now what is it you have to tell us?" she said as she sat down.

"Well, actually… Dad, could you put your paper down for a second?" He respectfully folded the paper neatly and set it on the coffee table. "Thank you. Okay, well, you know Luke." She said, making a smooth Vanna White motion in his direction.

"Yes we do." Her mother replied.

"Well we're, um, we're… we're engaged."

* * *

I'm evil with the cliffhangers! Expect the next chapter soon!

Remember to review!


	12. She Cares

A/N: I know I said I'd work on the Rory/Logan bit, but I haven't figured out a good storyline for them yet. If I do, I'll make sure to put it in.

Reviews rock my socks!

Charmedchic72: Is this update super soon enough?

* * *

_Previously on 'Everything's Falling Apart':_

_Emily returned and handed out the drinks. "Now what is it you have to tell us?" she said as she sat down._

"_Well, actually… Dad, could you put your paper down for a second?" He respectfully folded the paper neatly and set it on the coffee table. "Thank you. Okay, well, you know Luke." She said, making a smooth Vanna White motion in his direction._

"_Yes we do." Her mother replied. _

"_Well we're, um, we're… we're engaged."

* * *

_

Emily's eyes widened. "What?" She said in nearly a whisper.

"We're… engaged." Lorelai repeated.

Her parents sat for a moment in shock. Suddenly, Richard burst out laughing. Emily gave her husband a confused look. "What?"

"Don't you see?" Richard replied, still chuckling. "She came to us the other day, saying Rory was quitting Yale, and we thought she was joking. So she came to us with this _ridiculous _idea, knowing we would believe her. Clever!"

A look of sadness passed over Lorelai's face at the mention of her engagement being 'ridiculous'. This, of course, did not go unnoticed by Emily Gilmore. She turned to her husband. "I think she's serious, Richard."

"She can't be. Are you?" He asked his daughter.

"Yes, dad. We are." She braced herself for the _discussion_. 3…2…1…

"Lorelai, may I speak to you in the kitchen?" And we have liftoff.

Lorelai stood, dreading what would come. Luke followed suit.

"Privately." Emily added with a stern look at Luke. He sat.

Lorelai followed her mother into the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder at Luke. He gave her a sympathetic look. _"I tried."_ He mouthed. She smiled.

* * *

As soon as the kitchen door swung shut, her mother was off. "Why him, Lorelai? Why him?"

Lorelai looked at her mother. "I love him." And she was somewhat shocked at those words. She hadn't told him or even admitted it to herself yet.

"You loved Christopher. Why not him?"

"Mom, we were sixteen. _Sixteen_! We wouldn't have made it. I know it and he knows it."

"He doesn't know it, Lorelai. You two belong together. He loves you. Don't you still love him?"

"No, mom, I don't. I thought I did. And I thought I always would. But then… then there was Luke. Apparently, I didn't know what love was. Because what I have now is infinitely better than what I had with Chris. And I know you don't like this. Christopher is 'good breeding' and one of… one of _you_. But that's not the kind of person I want to be with."

"Very well then."

"So… you approve?"

Emily sighed. "No, I'll tolerate it. I'll come to the wedding and see you on holidays and make polite conversation. But I will _never_ approve." And she left the room, head held high.

* * *

_(Meanwhile, in the living room…)_

As soon as his wife left the room, Richard picked up his newspaper. Luke strained to hear the conversation in the kitchen, but all he could hear was faint voices, no words in particular. After a minute, he cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Ri- Mr. Gilmore."

Richard looked at Luke over his paper and raised his eyebrows, signaling Luke to continue.

"I know… I know that you and your wife aren't… aren't too fond of me. And I know you'd much rather see your daughter with someone… of higher class. But I want you to know that I love Lorelai and will take care of her and Rory to the best of my ability."

Richard nodded his head and smiled. He set down his paper. "I don't think I could ask for much more." He stood and held out his hand. "Welcome to the family, son."

Luke was surprised. He hadn't expected such a warm response. But he welcomed it. He stood and shook Richard's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Gilmore."

"Call me Richard."

"Thank you, Richard."

Richard nodded again and returned to his paper. Luke sat as well, hiding his smile.

Seconds later, Emily burst out of the kitchen, Lorelai close behind. Judging by the looks on their faces, their conversation didn't go nearly as well. Lorelai looked on the verge of tears. She approached Luke, and he stood back up. The night was beginning to look like musical chairs for him. "We're going." She stated to her fiancée. And with that, she headed towards the door.

"Goodbye, Richard, Em- Mrs. Gilmore." Richard smiled in response, whereas Emily just glared. He rushed out of the room and out the front door.

* * *

Lorelai was already in the passenger seat of the truck. He climbed in and drove away as quickly as he could. Five minutes into the drive, he heard Lorelai crying quietly. He looked over and saw her tearstained face, leaning against the window. He pulled onto the shoulder of the road and put the truck in park. She slid across the seat and he put his arms around her protectively. She cried into his shoulder.

"Why doesn't she care? Why has she never cared?" She whispered.

"She cares, Lorelai." He replied, stroking her hair. "She cares."

* * *

Well, well, well. What will happen next? Stay tuned!

Review, review, review!

And review!


	13. Turn Around

A/N: So many reviews! You guys are awesome! As you can see, I don't mind Richard, but Emily… I just can't stand her – most of the time.

To my anonymous reviewer, Mia: I love your idea, so that's exactly what I'm going to do! Thanks for the suggestion.

Janetmaca: I'm glad it's your favorite. That means a lot, considering that there are so many out there.

To my infamous anonymous reviewer, so: Thank you, and yes, I did go to that site. I'm working on reading it… it's long!

End of the school year rush plus a dash of writer's block equals a late update. I'm so, so sorry!

* * *

Lorelai composed herself, and they continued on their way home. They rode in silence.

Just as they passed the 'Stars Hollow, 3 miles' sign, Lorelai spoke. "Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around. Go back."

"Why?"

"I have something I need to tell my mother."

"Can't it wait?"

"No. It can't."

He knew better than to argue with Lorelai when her mind was set, so he turned around and headed back to Hartford.

* * *

Immediately after the truck came to a stop, Lorelai practically leapt out of the vehicle. She stormed up to the front door and pressed the doorbell. The maid opened the door, and without speaking Lorelai barged in. She walked straight into the living room to see her parents exactly how she had found them an hour earlier. Lorelai went over to her mother. "Who do you hate most?"

"What?"

"I can only remember you ever hating one person. Who was it?"

"If you're implying that I hate you, I-"

"Gran, mom. You hated Gran. You thought it was completely wrong for her to tell dad not to get married. You thought she was too judgmental and an all around horrible person. But you know what, mom? She was exactly like _you_."

Emily gave a small yet audible gasp.

"I came here because you were upset last time. I didn't tell you about me and Max, and you didn't like it. I wanted to tell you first this time so you didn't hear about it from anyone else. But apparently that was the wrong decision." And she stormed back out of the house, Luke following close behind, leaving a wide-eyed, speechless Emily and a slammed door in her wake.

* * *

Luke pulled into the Lorelai's driveway half an hour later. Lorelai moved to get out of the truck, but Luke stopped her. "Wait."

She turned to face him. "Yeah?"

"What was that about?"

"I didn't exactly tell my parents about my engagement right away last time."

"Oh."

"Sookie called, to invite them to my 'surprise' wedding shower… before I had told them I was getting married."

"_Oh_."

"Yeah."

"What'd she say to you?"

"When?"

"In the kitchen."

"Basically, she said that… she said she'd never… approve."

"Approve?"

"Of… us."

"Oh."

"You seem to like that word tonight."

There was the Lorelai he knew, trying to bring humor into the most serious of situations. That was, after all, her comfort zone. "I guess I do." He laughed.

* * *

I need to write longer chapters, I know! This was _way _short. I'm going on vacation for a couple weeks. I'll see if I can put up some chapters while I'm gone. If not, I'll be sure to write so you'll get some good stuff when I get back.

Review please!


	14. Invitations

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Did y'all miss me? Huh? Huh? I'm glad to be back. These next few chapters, unfortunately, are a little rusty… I had to get my muse back. This chapter is miniscule, I know, but it serves it's purpose. Besides, I'm slightly making up for its shortness with an obnoxiously author's note.

Bara-Minamino: Thanks for the tip. I'll see what I can do on the written emotions front!

Identitycrisis: I love your username! Yes, it is much easier to talk in real life… but when you write you can fix what you say before you say it!

* * *

They were planning the wedding quicker than most. They wanted it in the summer, to make sure Rory could be there without having to worry about homework or missing class. Summer also allowed for an outdoor wedding.

Nothing was really done yet. Colors hadn't been decided and a dress hadn't been picked. They only knew three things. It would be at the Dragonfly, they would use the chuppah, and Lorelai was _definitely _going to wear a veil, just to spite her mother.

Luke had managed to wrangle Lorelai into inviting her parents. God knows it wasn't easy. It had taken lots of discussion and _lots and lots_ of coffee, but it had been done.

Lorelai, of course, was _not_ thrilled with this idea. But Luke had a point. Her parents would want this opportunity, whether they knew that now or not. And if she didn't invite them, she'd be wondering about it for a long time._ 'Would they have come?' _

At least she'd find out for sure.

She, personally, thought that inviting them wouldn't change the outcome. That her mother would completely disobey the unwritten rules of a civilized society and ignore an invitation to a function.

There was a first time for everything, right?

Lorelai told herself that she didn't want them there. They were horrible people. They had made her a promise and then stabbed her in the back. She hated them. She didn't want them to come.

But did she really believe it?

* * *

I warned you at the beginning that it was short! But you get two chapters right away and a third one soon!

Review (to hopefully tell me that you missed me!)!


	15. Leprechauns

A/N: This is semi-short. But the next one will hopefully be longer.

Well… I said all I really needed to say last chapter, so here we go!

* * *

Wedding planning was tough. Lorelai had always thought that brides overreacted whenever she had planned weddings. They always had to make sure everything was exactly how they wanted it – perfect. It was a rare luxury to plan a wedding for a bride who was willing to compromise the smallest bit.

But Lorelai wasn't one to compromise.

"I need _blue_ flowers… I understand. But pink or red won't work. I need _blue_… Can't you just order more?… I'll check with my fiancée and call you back." And with an exasperated sigh she refrained from slamming the Dragonfly phone back into its cradle.

So at lunch she grabbed her lunch and walked to Luke's. Now, she probably would've gone to the diner anyway, but it was good to have an excuse. She didn't want to destroy her independent reputation and look too clingy.

She sat on her now favorite stool at the counter. Luke approached her.

"How attached to the blue flowers are you?" She inquired.

"You remember when I told you I wanted nothing to do with this wedding except picking out my tux?"

She grinned. "Because I would have undoubtedly chosen something completely tacky for you to wear just for making me go."

"So you remember."

She nodded.

"Well, I still stand by that statement."

"But-"

"I want _nothing_ to do with this." He leaned forward and kissed her over the counter. _"Red would work." _He whispered before pulling away.

Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him as he poured her coffee. Just when she took a sip, her cell phone rang. Luke halfheartedly pointed to his bold 'NO CELL PHONES' sign hanging on the wall. As usual, she ignored the gesture and answered her phone.

"Hello?"

It was some random fellow townsperson offering something or other for the wedding. She had gotten a lot of these calls ever since the word of her engagement had spread like wildfire through the town. She knew they meant well, but what were they thinking sometimes?

"Why would I want a leprechaun ice sculpture? I'm not even Irish!" she exclaimed, slightly frustrated with these frequent calls. Behind the counter, Luke stifled a laugh. This was by far the most eccentric offer yet. Besides, why would anyone have a leprechaun ice sculpture?

"No, thank you. Goodbye." She pressed the end button on her phone and turned to Luke, who was struggling to keep a straight face. "Not a word."

He silently raised his arms in defeat and walked into the kitchen. When he stepped through the doorway, however, he laughed.

"I can hear you!"

* * *

I can practically hear y'all saying pointless. I know, I know. But better stuff comes next… This was just to give you an idea of a timeline.

Also, who can name the quote I used from a movie and what movie it's from? Big (incredibly-useless-Who's-Line-Is-It-Anyway) points for the person who gives me the right answer!

Please review!


	16. Best Man

A/N: See? Soon, just like I promised!

Congratulations to Daphnetjuh, Kat, Mia, bamrocks, and AnneTrinityRGJM for getting the quote and movie! 1 million pointless points for you guys!

Londsay: Well, speak of the devil. We have some Rory stuff coming up pretty soon…

Mia: The kilt idea was good. Lol… I really did laugh out loud! I'll see if I can mention the kilt somewhere in the near future.

ultimategilmoregirl: See, the leprechaun ice sculptures had to do with the quote, so… yeah. And I'm sorry about my teeny tiny chapters, but I can get them up faster if they're shorter.

crazyfanfic: Don't we all wish we had a Luke? ; )

AnneTrinityRGJM: Let me guess… you're a Rory/Jess fan, right? (I had to ask… )

* * *

One last important part of the wedding hadn't been decided yet: Who was going to be in it?

Naturally, Rory, Sookie, and Lane were going to be bridesmaids. Georgia, after some discussion, was to be the flower girl. But one last position had yet to be filled.

The best man.

Luke thought about this for quite some time. His first thought was to choose TJ. He was Liz' husband, after all. But as soon as that thought entered his head, he erased it. A grown man with an Etch-A-Sketch was _not_ going to be his best man.

Then there were the usual townies. Jackson, but he was a produce man. And that explained a lot. There was Andrew, but Luke hadn't spoken to Andrew since he'd hurried out of the diner after Luke had an angry reaction to his talking about the boat. Morey was an option, but he was married to Babette. There had to be something wrong there.

There were the almost unthinkable. Kirk, who would cause some sort of horrific disaster and probably want to be paid for his services. That man could make money doing absolutely anything. There was Taylor… but – well, you know.

And there was no way in hell that he would let that rich, loser boyfriend of Rory's be his best man. He loved Rory and all, but that guy was trouble. He knew it. Logan had certainly caused enough mischief already, and Luke didn't want him to drag Rory down with him.

This lengthy process of elimination left him where he'd truly started. With only one option. It left him with the one person who he'd wanted more than anything to be in this wedding. It also left him with the one person he most dreaded inviting.

Jess Mariano.

* * *

"No."

"Jess…"

"No. I'm sorry. I just… I can't."

"Why?"

It was a simple question. But answering it would cause Jess to open up, something he had avoided doing for as long as he could remember. So he stayed silent, hoping his uncle would understand the hint and leave him alone, just like everyone else had always done. But Luke wasn't 'everyone else'.

"Jess…?"

Jess still didn't answer and continued staring at his feet.

"Okay… I guess we'll do this like last time. So you don't hate me."

Jess sighed. "I don't hate you."

"Is it Lorelai? Do you hate her?"

"No, Luke, I don't hate her."

"Well, is it Sookie? Lane? Rory?"

When he heard Rory's name, Jess' head jerked up.

"No… Rory?"

Jess nodded.

"Well, you told her you loved her and ran. But I thought you were over that."

He took a deep breath. "After Lizzie's wedding, when I told you I was going back up to New York, I drove up to Yale. I found Rory with… Dean, and I guess that made me crazy. So I told her… I told her to come with me. To run away with me."

"Where?"

"Anywhere… back to New York, maybe."

"You couldn't take her back to that filthy apartment!"

"I know! I knew that the whole time, but… I so badly wanted her to come."

"Well… what'd she say?"

"She said… no. She said she really didn't want to be with me."

"Wow… And you haven't seen her since?"

"Haven't seen her since."

They sat for a moment in companionable silence, both busy with their own thoughts. The calm atmosphere was shattered when Luke spoke up quietly. "You don't have to do it, Jess. I just… I really want you to be there."

Jess didn't speak, and Luke stood to leave. When the door shut behind him, he felt the tears behind his eyes. He willed himself not to cry. He focused his eyes on the door to the staircase and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. This repetition was interrupted by a shout from down the hall.

"Hey Luke!"

Luke turned to see Jess leaning out into the corridor, one arm grasping the doorframe.

Jess yelled again. "I'll do it."

* * *

Not much to say here…

Review!


	17. She Can Handle It, Can't She?

A/N: Another chapter!

Mia: When I first wrote it, Lane wasn't a bridesmaid. But it does make sense. She kind of is like family… And if (when) Luke and Lorelai get married, I want Jess to be the best man, but I heard Milo's not coming back to the show unless they kill his character or something like that… sad, isn't it? Oh, and I like making people laugh too! (end obnoxiously long shout-out)

I.D.C: Well, honestly, you're the only one who said they missed me, so it was appreciated. And now that you mention it, it does sound kind of creepy. But I _did_ tell you to tell me that, so I guess I brought the creepiness upon myself.

And my anonymous reviewer, Gilmore fan: Thanks so much for all the love! I do assume there would be more of a fight getting Rory back to Yale, but I kind of wanted to get to other parts. But I did make sure she said no to others before giving in to Paris. And I loved your usage of anywho. I love that word!

Disclaimer Refresher: The fact that I don't own Gilmore Girls hasn't changed in the last month.

* * *

Luke and Lorelai sat on the floor of Lorelai's bedroom, packing all of her stuff into boxes, getting ready to move. The wedding was in two weeks and they were hoping to move into the Twickham house before then so they could return to a home after their honeymoon.

"You have too much stuff." Luke mentioned, taping an extremely full box shut.

"You know, it looks like so much more when you have to pack it up." Lorelai said.

Luke laughed quietly. Their conversation lapsed into silence, each of them focused on the task at hand. Luke spoke up. "Jess is coming. He's going to be the best man."

"Really?"

"Yes." Luke tried to keep up his 'not emotional' façade, but a smile spread across his face.

"I'm glad. We haven't seen him in a while."

"Not since Liz' wedding."

"Yeah…" Lorelai trailed off, putting all of her attention towards pulling an unrecognizable object out from underneath her bed. She thought about what Luke had said. Jess being there would be good. As much as he wouldn't admit it, Lorelai knew Luke cared about Jess a lot. After all, they did have a lot in common.

Her mind wandered, and suddenly her eyes widened and she stopped trying to free the unknown item mid-tug. She turned to Luke. "What about Rory?"

"Rory's a big girl. She can handle it."

"But-"

"It's been more than a year, Lorelai. She has Logan now. She's over it."

Lorelai paused in thought. "You really think she'll be okay?"

"I really do."

* * *

Later that evening, Lorelai walked to Rory's room and leaned on the doorframe. Rory was lying across her bed, reading a book, lost in her own world. Lorelai knocked on the open door and Rory looked up. "Hey."

"Hey, hon. Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure." Rory slid a bookmark onto the page she'd been reading, shut the book and set it on her desk. Lorelai sat on the edge of the bed. Rory leaned up against her headboard. "Go ahead."

"Well, Luke chose his best man."

"It's about time." Rory replied jokingly.

Lorelai mustered up as much of a laugh as she could. Then Rory asked the inevitable question: "Who?"

Lorelai looked down at her feet. As much as Luke said Rory could handle it, Lorelai still wasn't sure. But she was the mother, she was supposed to be protective, right?

Rory's voice shook her out of her thoughts. "Mom?"

Lorelai kept staring at her bright pink, chipped nail polish on her toes. "He picked Jess, honey." She didn't lift her head. She didn't want to see her daughter's reaction.

Rory's was shocked. But she knew how much Luke wanted this, and by default her mother, too. So she smiled as realistically as she could. "That's good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I know how much Luke wants Jess to be there."

"So it's okay with you?" Lorelai was pleasantly surprised by Rory's calm and good-natured reaction.

"It's fine."

"Even considering-"

"That's ancient history, Mom. I'm with Logan now." That seemed like a good answer. Her mom definitely seemed convinced.

"Okay. I just thought you should know."

"Thanks, Mom."

"'Night, Rory."

"'Night."

* * *

A couple hours later, Rory was sprawled across her bed, her book long forgotten. Ever since her mother had left she'd been that way, thinking. She had yet to fully wrap her mind around it.

Jess. Jess Mariano.

They had such a history. Was she expected to ignore that and act like he was a complete stranger? No, she couldn't do that. They'd been friends before, right? So she could act like he was an old friend.

But what if Logan didn't take to that too well? Logan was her date, after all. He was going to be there with her. If she spoke to Jess, he was bound to ask questions. And she wasn't the greatest liar. She always did the 'blinky-thing' when she was lying. But maybe Logan hadn't caught on to that yet…

What she thinking? She couldn't lie to Logan. No, she'd act like she and Jess were acquaintances, nothing more. They knew each other… through Luke she could say. And that was the truth, right? That's how they met. That's how Lorelai knew him, too.

Yes. That was good. This way, she wasn't lying. She was just… withholding part of the truth. But that was lying, wasn't it?

No, this truth would come out eventually. So it wasn't lying. That was settled.

Okay, acquaintances. That's it. She rolled over on her side and closed her eyes. Now it was time to sleep.

But she couldn't.

Damn insomnia. Damn thoughts.

* * *

More to come!

Please review!


	18. Three's a Crowd

A/N: I love all the long reviews! I'm glad y'all like this story.

I'm sorry for the small delay in posting this chapter. I had a little case of writer's block.

Mia: Well, there might be some prelude to his death he would be needed for, I dunno. Jess bugged me sometimes, but I could never hate him. He was always _just_ nice enough.

And the blinky-thing was mentioned in 2:5, Nick and Nora/Sid and Nancy. When Jess first shows up, actually. I hadn't thought about that… Weird coincidence.

ProFfeSseR: I hadn't thought of Buddy… But even if I had, Jess would've been my choice. It'd be easier to write Jess.

And I like the idea of having Jess in the wedding anyway and then killing him on the trip home. I think we need to see into Luke's feelings a little more, and that would be a good way to do it. We saw a little when we learned about his dad and the boat, but not much. Some Jess/Luke bonding is needed, too.

Indentitycrisis: Well, I'm weird too, so it's okay! Plus, I like your idea, I might use it…

ultimategilmoregirl: I like cheese…

* * *

The next morning, Lorelai entered the diner and took a seat at the counter. Luke slid her a cup of coffee. "So, you told Rory?"

"Yeah."

"How'd she take it?"

"Fine. She took it fine."

"That's good. We don't have to worry about it."

"Yeah." She said unconvincingly.

"What? We _do_ have to worry about it? I thought you said she took it fine."

"She did. I just… I can't help thinking she's not okay with this. I mean, Rory's the sweetest kid in the world, and if this bugged her I know she would just suck it up for our benefit."

"She'll be fine, Lorelai. She'll be fine."

"Yeah…"

* * *

Back at the Gilmore household, Rory was completely immersed in the book she had set aside the night before when she heard her cell phone ring. She grabbed her purse off of her desk and pulled out her cell phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ace. Long time, no see."

"Yeah, well, with all the wedding planning around here things have been a little hectic."

"I'll bet."

"So… why are you calling?"

"I hadn't talked to you in awhile, and I was thinking…"

"Yeah?"

"That maybe I could come see you."

"Here? In Stars Hollow?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Where are you?"

"Actually, I'm pulling on to your street right now. I'll see you in a minute, Ace." And he hung up.

Rory shut her book, did a quick mirror-check to make sure she looked presentable, and then rushed to the door. She pulled it open just in time to see Logan pull up in his flashy, black sports car.

Rory ran up to him. He stepped out of his car and kissed her. "I missed that."

She smiled. "Me too."

"So, what is there to do here?"

"Honestly? Not much. But I can give you a tour."

"Okay."

She took his hand and they walked down her driveway towards town.

* * *

Jess arrived later that morning, with a duffel bag full of clothes and books. He entered the diner and without a word to Luke he went upstairs and dumped his stuff on his old bed.

He walked into the kitchen and took a soda out of the refrigerator. He walked over to the window and looked out over the town.

Jess spotted Rory, arm in arm with some blond guy, laughing and leaning into his shoulder. He tried to swallow his jealousy. It made sense she had a boyfriend now. It'd been a year. Two since they'd been together. He didn't expect her to sit around and pine for him or anything.

But it would have been nice.

* * *

Rory and Logan walked towards the diner. Rory pointed. "That's Luke's Diner. It's my mom's fiancée's place."

"Let me guess, his name is Luke?"

"I wonder how you knew?" She kept walking, but he stopped at the door. "What?"

"Let's go in."

It was then Rory saw Jess' beat-up brown car parked at the curb. "Why?" She asked, trying to buy herself more time.

"I want to meet the future step-dad."

"You'll see him at the wedding."

"Yes, but I want to see if he's worthy."

Rory was fresh out of excuses. "I guess we could go in."

* * *

Jess watched from the window as Rory and blond boy entered the diner. He counted to twenty so it wouldn't look like he'd come down for her.

He took the steps slowly, taking his time. He still didn't know what he was going to say. But then again, did he ever? He had a quick mind. He'd think of something.

Jess peeked through the curtain. There was Rory and blondie, sitting at the counter. He stepped out and approached them. He leaned on the counter. "Hey, Rory."

She cleared her throat nervously. "Hey, Jess."

* * *

Cliffhanger! The next chapter should be up soon.

Remember, I like reviews. Who doesn't?


	19. Jess vs Logan

A/N: More of my brilliance! I loved writing this chapter! It was fun!

crazyfanfic: 'Manly sizing-up'… I dunno. It just made me laugh.

mairay: Rogan? I make no promises. But this story has no outline, so I have no idea what Rory's dating situation will be by the time this ends. Whatever my muse says goes!

* * *

_**Previously on 'Everything's Falling Apart':**_

_Jess watched from the window as Rory and blond boy entered the diner. He counted to twenty so it wouldn't look like he'd come down for her. _

_He took the steps slowly, taking his time. He still didn't know what he was going to say. But then again, did he ever? He had a quick mind. He'd think of something. _

_Jess peeked through the curtain. There was Rory and blondie, sitting at the counter. He stepped out and approached them. He leaned on the counter. "Hey, Rory."_

_She cleared her throat nervously. "Hey, Jess."

* * *

_

"It's been awhile, huh?"

"Yeah, it has." She was trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. Acquaintances. Remember that.

"So, read any good books lately?" He mentally kicked himself. How cliché was that?

"Actually, I have."

"That's good." He tried to inconspicuously give Logan the once-over now that he had a better view. Prep. Obviously rich. Didn't seem like her type. But then again, neither did Dean…

Rory spotted him eyeing Logan. "Jess, this is Logan. Logan, Jess."

They exchanged a stiff handshake and nodded hello to each other.

"Boyfriend?" Jess asked.

"Of course." Gah! Had she forgotten to mention that?

"Sorry, you didn't say." He smirked.

_Jess 1, Logan 0._

Rory tried to cover her mistake. "I thought it was obvious." She latched onto Logan's arm.

_Jess 1, Logan 1._

Jess turned on Logan. "So, you go to Yale?"

"Yes, I do." He was suspicious. How did Rory know this Jess anyway?

"Huh." Jess answered in typical Jess-like fashion. Yup, definitely rich.

"Well, where do you go to college?" Logan inquired, pretty sure of the answer.

"I don't." He answered honestly. Jess couldn't lie. At least, not in front of Rory.

_Jess 1, Logan 2. _

Just then, Luke came out of the kitchen. "Jess, table over there needs coffee." He said, pointing.

"Okay." Off he went. But before he left, he looked to Rory. "See you at the wedding, Rory." And with that comment, he evened the score.

_Tied: Jess 2, Logan 2._

They'd finish that later.

Luke approached the counter. "Hey, Rory. You two want coffee?"

She turned to Logan, and he nodded. "Yes, please." She said.

He filled their cups and handed them over. "This is Logan?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, this is Logan. Logan, Luke."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Logan shook Luke's hand. He went with the formal approach. Luke was Rory's future step-dad, after all. And you could never be too safe.

"Call me Luke."

"You got it."

"I'm sorry, but I gotta run. Lunch rush. Rory, make sure your mom does some packing."

"I will." And he went off to do his dinerly things. Rory and Logan finished their coffee in silence and left the diner.

* * *

The door shut behind them. Logan made it halfway down the street before he spoke. "So, who was that?"

She went with the innocent act. "Luke? Cause I told you-"

"Jess, Rory. Who was Jess?"

"Luke's nephew."

"And he'll be at the wedding?"

"He's the… best man."

"Did you date him?"

'_Acquaintances!' _her mind screamed. But did she ever listen? "Yes."

"Rory-"

"It was a long time ago, Logan."

"So, it's over?"

"Yes." Rory told him, glancing over her shoulder at the diner. She spotted Jess watching her through the window and quickly turned back to Logan. "It's over."

* * *

Jess watched with satisfaction as Rory and Logan retreated down the street. From the way Logan was acting, Jess could assume he was asking about him.

Then Rory looked back and met his gaze. She promptly looked away. He waited until they rounded the corner to get back to work. He still had that scoreboard flashing in his head:

_Tied: Jess 2, Logan 2._

Logan hadn't won, and he hadn't won.

Yet.

* * *

A/N: Tee hee! The Jess/Logan… thing (for lack of a better term) reminded me of the Luke/Max scene in 'Love, Daisies, and Troubadours'.

I'm sorry if I have Logan's character wrong. I'm trying to work on it. We haven't had as much time to get to know him.

ReViEw!


	20. Are You Going To Explain This?

A/N: More writer's block. Sorry! Also, my dad gave me a one hour per day time limit on the computer, so my updates may be less frequent. I'll do the best I can! Thanks for all the reviews. You guys rock!

ulitmategilmoregirl: I just can't compete with cheese, can I?

Mia: I love 'Love, Daisies, and Troubadours'. For the longest time that was my absolutely fave episode! And a lot of people say Daniel's writing sucks, but he's written some of my favorites, so I can't hate him. You share my opinion on Rory's relationships, too! I did like Dean, but then the married thing… And it was their third time going out. That was enough. I love Marty! I miss him. I hope he's back next season!

Indentitycrisis: I read your story! Don't you love me? And your review was better than those two letter ones. But a review is a review, and I'll take anything I can get (dirty!).

Charmedchic72: Well, how could I resist sad puppy dog eyes?

To all: If I confused you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean _I _was going to kill Jess… In reality, Milo won't come back to the show unless they kill his character. I don't plan on killing Jess, but hey, you never know. Sorry again for confusion.

* * *

"Remember you told me everything  
I thought I always wanted to hear  
And that's where you told me that it's over"

-'Two-Seater' by Bowling For Soup

* * *

Lorelai crawled out of her bed at eleven thirty on the night before her wedding. She tiptoed to the closet and pulled out her wedding dress. She carefully laid it across the bed and unzipped the cover. Slowly she lifted it up and walked over to her full-length mirror.

She held the wedding dress up to her body. It was pale blue. Ever since she was little she'd known that she didn't want a white wedding dress. It was too traditional, too prim and proper. She wanted something original.

Lorelai slipped off her gray sweatpants and pulled her red t-shirt over her head. Slowly she stepped into the dress and zipped up the back. She pulled her shoes out of her closet and put them on as well.

She walked back over to the mirror and looked at her reflection. She looked… beautiful. And she'd never really felt that way before. She always acted confident, but never really let on as to how unsure she was.

Right now, though, she looked amazing. And there was no doubt about it.

She thought back to what her mother had said at her bachelorette party. About trying on her wedding dress and how safe she felt.

And for once Lorelai could relate to her mother.

* * *

Two hours before the wedding, Rory was busy running around doing errands for her mother. She was busy triple-checking that the flowers were all in the right place when she spotted Jess in the lobby. She approached him and sat down next to him on the couch.

"How's Luke?"

"Nervous. He kicked me out of the room."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. I made a smart-ass comment and apparently he's a little more touchy than usual this morning."

Rory laughed, and Jess couldn't help but crack a smile. Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned in and he kissed her.

Logan, of course, had picked the worst time to enter the room. He saw Jess kiss Rory and immediately backed away and left. He gone before he saw what he needed to see.

Rory pushed Jess away. "What are you doing?"

"I was-" Jess started, but Rory cut him off.

"It was rhetorical. I have a boyfriend, Jess! You know that."

"I just… I thought that maybe…"

"Well, _I _thought that I made things very clear last year when I told you I didn't want to be with you." Rory stood and began to storm off. Before she left she turned back to Jess. She spoke quietly. "I did love you, you know. I really did." And then she walked back toward her mother's room.

He sat on the sofa, stunned. As much as he wouldn't admit it, he'd wanted to hear her say that ever since the day he met her. She'd finally said it, and he wasn't nearly as happy as he'd imagined he'd be.

* * *

Rory stopped outside her mother's door and pulled out her cell phone. She pressed two and the speed dial kicked in. She muttered to herself as she listened to the rings. "Where is he? He should be here by now…"

"Hello?" Logan answered.

"Hey, where are you?"

"Rory?" he asked, using her name rather than calling her 'Ace'.

Rory didn't notice. "Yeah. You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago."

"I was there."

"Why'd you leave?"

"You know why I left." He said angrily.

"No, I don't."

"Then talk it over with your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? You're my boyfriend, Logan."

"Not from what I saw."

"What did you – Oh." She said as she realized what he was referring to.

"Yeah."

Rory was silent. What could she say?

"Well, are you going to explain this?"

"I pushed him away. I told him I had a boyfriend."

Logan digested this new information. "Really?" he said more calmly.

"Yeah, really."

"So… I should probably turn my car around.

"Probably."

"I'll see you in a couple minutes, then."

"Bye."

"Bye, Ace."

* * *

Rory/Logan reconciliation! I'm gonna try to wrap this up, so expect one to possibly three more chapters.

Again, I don't think I have Logan down. I haven't had a chance to watch the 5th season stuff I have taped b/c of the construction at my house, so I haven't had a chance to get more in touch with his character. (Aren't I full of excuses today?)

Review please!


	21. Whole Again

A/N: This'll be the last chapter. I love you guys! Review my next story!

Mia: I started watching new episodes on the WB at episode 100, too. But the fall before, ABC Family started airing them every afternoon and that really got me into it. I'm all caught up now!

crazyfanfic: I wasn't planning on a Luke/Jess scene, but when you mentioned it I loved the idea. Thanks!

Lumpy: What's with being 'Lumpy'? I loved your dog with a stick metaphor (or simile? I can't remember which is which.). Don't drool too much! I want you to be able to read the rest of my story!

Indentitycrisis: Not even three more! Sorry. But I'll try to write more soon.

* * *

Lorelai paced her room nervously, her hair still in curlers. "Sookie, are you sure the-"

"Lorelai, sit down!" her best friend commanded. "You're going to shake those curlers out of your hair with all that walking."

Lorelai grudgingly did what she was told. "But I'm not sure about the-"

"Everything's fine, honey. You've checked it all. After Rory gets back from checking on the flowers, neither you nor her are leaving this room."

"But-"

"No. Now sit still and relax."

"Fine."

Just then, Rory entered the room. Before her mother could say a word, Rory spoke. "The flowers are perfect, Mom."

Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but Rory cut her off. "I'm sure. I double checked."

"That's not what I was going to ask!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I was going to say 'How are you?'"

Rory paused, recalling her past couple of minutes. She smiled. "I'm doing good, Mom. Really good."

* * *

Jess tentatively knocked on his uncle's door.

"Yeah?" Luke called from inside.

"Can I come back in now? Me loitering in the hall like this looks a little weird."

Luke sighed. "Fine. But keep your comments to yourself."

Jess heard the lock click and the door was pulled open. He stepped in quickly before his uncle changed his mind. He walked over and sat on the couch as Luke shut the door behind him.

Luke sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. A minute later he pushed his hands back and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to relieve his nerves. He looked up and smiled slightly when he spotted Jess doing the same thing.

"What's up?" he asked Jess.

Jess looked up. He cocked his head slightly and raised his eyebrows, confused at his uncle's attempt to actually have a conversation. Luke just stared back, his eyes signaling Jess to answer.

"I… kissed Rory."

"You _what_?" Luke shot up from his previous position on the bed. "Jess, what were you thinking?"

"I was-"

"She has a boyfriend! She moved on!"

"Apparently we're into rhetorical questions today." Jess muttered as his uncle continued to rant.

"Jess, you knew that! You knew she had a boyfriend! Why would you do that?"

"I just… thought we still had a chance, you know?"

"Yeah…" Luke said, joining Jess on the couch. For a moment they sat in silence, busy with their own thoughts. Luke spoke up again. "You know, you and Rory'll be cousins after this."

Jess contorted his face in disgust and Luke laughed. He reached over and gave Jess a manly pat on the back. "You'll find someone. Trust me."

* * *

The aisle was marked by a wide blue runner laid out between the two groups of chairs. Lorelai stood at the foot of it, right behind Lane, Sookie, Rory and Jess. She waited as they slowly filed off towards the chuppah placed at the end of the aisle. While she waited, her eyes scanned the crowd. She knew exactly who she was looking for.

She saw many familiar faces and a few not-so-familiar ones. She spotted Miss Patty and Babette in the middle on the left-hand side whispering to one another. Taylor was close to the front. There was Logan towards the front watching Rory intently. Paris was there in the back row, and Marty was seated on the far right side. Even Dean had shown up.

But when she couldn't find the faces she most wanted to see, her heart fell. All along she had been hoping in the back of her mind that they would come. She knew she didn't have much time before she'd be walking down the aisle, and her eyes furiously scanned the crowd again, with no success.

Right before the music started, Richard appeared at her side. She turned to him. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"If I do recall correctly, I was invited, Lorelai. And the father is supposed to give his daughter away on her wedding day."

Lorelai smiled. "You're right. He is." She took her father's arm.

The music kicked in. Just before they started down the aisle, Lorelai hugged her dad. "I love you, daddy." She whispered.

He smiled and walked her down to where the rest of the wedding party was assembled. He kissed her cheek and sat down in the front row next to her mother, who apparently had been overlooked by Lorelai.

Lorelai had always found weddings to be excruciatingly long, but to her the wedding went by quickly. Before she knew it, she was saying, "I do." After they kissed, they turned to walk down the aisle.

Lorelai looked around her. Her whole family was there. Rory, her parents, Luke, and all of Stars Hollow. She had never felt happier than she did at that moment.

She thought back to the day just a few months ago when she had out of the blue asked Luke to marry her. She thought about how horrible everything had been. Rory had dropped out of college. She hadn't been speaking to her parents.

But now, everything was perfect. Rory was back in school. She was, hopefully, back on speaking terms with her parents. She was married to the love of her life.

Back then, she thought as she walked down the aisle, arm in arm with Luke, everything had been falling apart.

But, over those couple of months, the pieces of her life were slowly placed back together.

She was whole again.

* * *

And here it ends!

I'm sorry to end this story, but it had to end eventually. I have a couple story ideas rolling around in my head, so I'll see what I can scrounge up. I'll try to write another story soon.

Review!


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